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Hello reader!I leave this first page blank as I plan on adding some much needed context here (character design, explanations etc etc).For now please proceed to the 1st chapter and I hope you'll enjoy the story :]
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Date: Summer 12001 years after the creation of magicLocation: Democratic State of KirskIt's a regular morning and the sun rises upon Kirsk. Suddenly the peaceful sunrise is interrupted by the screech of tires and police sirens. Three black vans are racing down the highway narrowly dogging other vehicles as the police cars desperately give chase. Following the pursuit is a news helicopter that goes after the scene. The metal blades of the machine cut through the air like a warm knife through butter pushing the beast upwards.Inside the helicopter is a pilot accompanied by a news reporter. The deer humanoid clings onto a bar with her dear life as the human pilot performs violent manoeuvres. His attention is split between operating the camera that's mounted to the bottom of the helicopter and flying the machine.Suddenly the police pursuit comes to an end as the three black vans find themselves trapped by a roadblock. The pilot, finally able to stabilize the machine, gestures to the reporter. The woman, still in shock, gets up and turns on her microphone.Pilot: Live in 3... 2... 1...Reporter: Breaking news, Kirsk, a police pursuit is currently happening on the B56 highway here in Isken city. I'm live in one of our helicopters broadcasting the whole ordeal[...]The reporter continues her broadcast. Out of the vans comes a group of men all dressed in black and armed to the teeth. All of them are various species ranging from an orc to an avian. The police quickly mobilise and a stand-off ensues.Reporter: Looks like the police and the criminals are now in a standoff. We've received reports that the group being intercepted is a paramilitary organisation aiming at bringing Kirsk back into the Republic Federation. It is currently unkno-The reporter's voice is cut off by the sound of gunfire as the standoff turns into a shootout with both sides sustaining casualties.Reporter: Ladies and gentlemen the criminals are now firing upon the police! The situation is escalating rapidly but we're still broadcasting it for you live!The pilot watches the situation unfold right before him. It's not the first time he heard gunfire and the dreaded noise brings back a lot of memories. Despite the seemingly safe position he is his heart still begins to pound as his body is flooded with adrenaline. The hormones make his breathing faster and his senses sharpen just in time to notice one of the criminals aiming an anti-air missile launcher at his machine. He's got a lock by now.Pilot:Oh shit... HOLD ON TIGHT!Reporter: Huh..? Wh- AAAAAH!The deer woman is thrown into the bar she was previously holding as the helicopter makes a violent turn. Moments later the criminal holding the launcher fires and watches as the missile leaves the tube and rushes after the helicopter while emitting a tremendous amount of smoke. All the instruments on board the helicopter begin to send out alarms and warnings as the machine pulls off a high-g manoeuvre. The pilot clenches his muscles and instinctively reaches for a flare switch even though it's not present in a civilian helicopter. He thinks fast and turns the rotations to max while yanking back and right on the stick. The reporter continues to scream as the helicopter does yet another wild manoeuvre. The metal creeks from the enormous forces as the confused missile flies millimetres past the left side of the helicopter.He's relieved to see the deadly payload fly further away from him and his machine. As he lets out a sigh of relief a blast reflects in his sunglasses. He looks back only to see the missile heading directly back at him. His instincts are telling him to duck but his skill suppresses the primitive reaction as he once again yanks on the stick.The helicopter is once again thrown back nearly going vertical. The pilot looks in horror as the rocket heads straight for the blades. He closes his eyes and braces for the incoming impact.But the explosion doesn't happen. He opens his eyes again only to see that by some miracle the missile flew directly through the helicopter blades without colliding with them. The dumbfounded pilot shakes off his shock and whispers.Pilot: s'lci pa'ri Nervani...He hears a 3rd blast and realises that the missile changed its direction again. The man is unsure how many more times he can evade the missile so he decides to do something risky. He switches the engine and allows the autorotation to glide the helicopter down. The altitude decreases rapidly and he can see the ground approaching. The missile now mostly out of fuel still tries to chase after the metal machine. Its booster kicks in and the missile accelerates inching closer and closer to the helicopter. The Pilot seizes the opportunity and puts the engine back to full power. Despite its small size, the Joey's Electrics "Fakron" helicopter houses a beast of an engine. The blades accelerate and the helicopter lifts avoiding a near collision with the ground.The missile on the other hand cannot pull out of its manoeuvre and slams into an empty parking lot. In milliseconds the explosives it houses are detonated and the concrete structure is torn apart.Above the newly formed crater, the pilot looks down relieved that the chase is over as sweat runs down his face. He checks back on the reporter and asks.Pilot: Everything ok back there? Apologies for the rough ride.However, the reporter is too shocked to mutter a single word. For the past 3 minutes, she's been thrown left and right while screaming nonstop.Her fur nearly turned grey. The woman slightly nods while still holding to the barPilot: I'll take that as a yes. I'm gonna get us back on the ground in a minute just hold on for a few more minutes.The helicopter flies off toward the airport.The pilot gently lands the small helicopter on the ground. He then puts his hand on the dashboard and pats it.Pilot:There girl... you did great. Now rest for a bit, you deserve it.He gets out of the machine and goes to finish some paperwork. Meanwhile, the deer reporter stumbles out of the helicopter and falls to the ground. She would kiss the dirt but then her make-up would be ruined so she stopped herself. It's definitely her last time flying in a helicopter.Suddenly a half-snake woman slides toward the reporter while yelling from far away.Snake: AMELIA! AMELIA!Amelia: J-Jenny?!As the snake reaches the deer they both embrace in a hug.Jenny:By the gods girl I WAS SO WORRIED! I saw what happened on the news! The whole nation did!Amelia:Wait what?!Jenny:The cameras never stopped rolling! I was so damn scared! I drove out here as soon as as could! Are you hurt?Amelia still overstimulated by the incident tries gathered her thoughts.Amelia: Wha.. oh, no I'm f-fine! Wait where's that pilot?! I need to thank him!Jenny:Girl you nearly died! Now is not the time to worry about some guy! Come on let's get you home.Jenny starts leading Amelia back to her car as the deer woman still looks for the mysterious stranger who saved her life. Unfortunately, she's unable to spot him before getting shoved into the back of the car by her very overprotective friend.The car drives off.[26 hours later] A different car stops at the same airfield. Out of it comes Amelia wearing a more regular outfit.Despite the heroic feat that the pilot pulled off the media doesn't want to release the footage of the accident. The morning report was seen by very few people unlike what Jenny said.Kirsk a monster-dominated nation still holds a certain prejudice against humans and showing them in a good light is generally looked down upon by the new government. The Kirsk democratic party has done a lot since they won the election in 11993.Their main policy was to secede from the Republican Federation but now that they achieved their main objective their focus shifted toward radicalizing the nation and ensuring their power.Besides being a reporter Amelia is also an ambitious activist. To her, it's obvious that the country is heading in the wrong direction. She witnessed the brutal and dictatorial regime of Governor Alfred and even helped abolish it during the student strikes. Just 8 years ago she supported the democratic party but now after seeing its blatant abuse of power and bigotry, she plans on stopping it. It's not too late to save the denizens of Kirsk. If only she could find that human and share his story surely the population would change their view.The deer humanoid walks through the small makeshift airfield scanning her surroundings for the blonde man. Despite the many loud noises and various distractions, she persists and finally spots the pilot. The man is working on the same helicopter the two of them flew in yesterday. The various reckless maneuvers he pulled off yesterday must have damaged the machine. The deer calms herself before confronting the man.Amelia:Uhh... excuse me, sir!The pilot moves his head to look at the woman. He pulls out a screw he's been keeping in his mouth like a cigarette. Half of his face is covered in oil.Pilot:What do you want? Wait... aren't you that reporter I flew yesterday?Amelia:Eh.. yeah that's me h-heh... I came to thank you for what you did yesterday. If not for your skill I'd probably be in a grave now.Pilot:Oh don't mention it. I was just doin' my job. Say you're here for another flight? I got plenty more than just this helicopter.Amelia:Oh no no no no no no! I had experienced more than enough in that wild ride. I think I'll stick to the ground.The pilot smirks a bit.Pilot: Fine suit yourself. You're missing out though.Are you done thanking me now? I'm a bit busy as you can see. Amelia: Well there actually something else I'd like to discuss. You see I'm writing a documentary on human-monster relations an-Pilot: Yeah sorry no imma have to stop you there. I'm not really a interview type of guy. If you want some good material go visit a collage or something.Amelia:But sir! Aren't you worried about the rising polarity between humans and monsters?Pilot:No not really. So long as two beings look even slightly different, one of them is bound to start hating the other. It's just how life is. I too used to be a bigot before someone changed my view. I suppose now I'll get to see what it's like to be on the other side of the barrel.Amelia starts to get a bit annoyed. She did NOT drive all this way and spent her entire night doing research just to come back empty-handed. She will squeeze some information out of this guy even if it means using some more invasive tactics.Amelia:I see... so I guess it's true what they say...Pilot:hmm?With a small evil smug grin on her face, Amelia says.Amelia:The teal stripe ace has fallen from his grace...The pilot's eyes widen and his body freezes. The screwdriver he's been holding falls out of his hand and hits the ground. His jaw slightly dropped in disbelief. It's been years since someone called him that....Pilot:How... who told you that name...?Amelia:Oh I just did a little digging Mr Anthony. Nothing complicated. After all your records are still in the Republican archives. And your fashion taste did not change much. Would be ashamed if those records were to leak. You'd probably have to leave the capital and maybe even Kirsk itself. I'm sure Fortecia has a comfy asylum spot waiting for you~Anthony:Darn... now I see why those politicians are so afraid of you press...Amelia: We certainly have methods. Now shall we proceed with the interview?Anthony:Fine I guess there's no point in hiding all this stuff anymore. It's about time the world learns.Amelia takes out her notebook and sits on a nearby crate. Her deer ears point up eagerly listening to the man's story.Anthony glides his prosthetic metal hand on the helicopter.Anthony:It all began 10 years ago back in my motherland Nervanna[...]
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Date: Winter 11991Y.A.C.MLocation: Nervanna, farm field near the city of Uz'urksA younger Anthony runs his normal non-robotic hand on a helicopter. His hair is vibrant and a teal recoloured stripe is visible on them. The machine is destroyed after it has crashed in the middle of the grain field. Anthony is angry. It's the second time something like this happened.A military transport truck drives through the field and stops near the wreck. A few recovery personnel and an officer get out of the truck and go to the slightly injured pilot. The crew however ignore the pilot and begin working on the helicopter. The officer stands with his arms behind him and says.The officer: One heck of a test pilot you are. Not even a day passed since this prototype was made and you've already trashed it.Anthony:It wasn't my fault. This junk could barely lift off let alone withstand the test.The officer: Look I would believe you but we both know that your idea of "testing" wildly differs from what the research team that made this had in mind.Anthony: Yeah that's because a helicopter should work with its operator and not against him. Seeing if it can go straight and up won't prove shit. You want it tested? Here, look!Anthony slaps the wrecked machine in anger.Anthony:Guess what? It failed!The officer begins to lose his temper.The officer: Language pilot! You're speaking to a superior!Anthony realises what he did and looks down at the ground embarrassed.Anthony: Apologies sir...The officer: Ugh... just get in the truck you have a report to fill back at the base.The two men get in the car and drive off.The officer:You're lucky you're my cousin otherwise you'd be rotting in detention.Anthony:Cut the crap Rile has the rank gotten into your head?Riley:Look I'm just trying to warn you. If you're gonna keep acting this way you're bound to get in some serious trouble. And I'm not gonna risk my rank getting your rebellious ass out of themAnthony looks out of the window unwilling to mutter a word.Riley: Silent treatment? God, you've never grown out of that. Look. I know you want to fly better machines but this is all our base has. When I signed you up as a test pilot I thought it would be enough to quell your ambitions but clearly, I was wrong.Anthony: Those prototypes are nothing but a waste of material. I could make a better one myself.Riley:Well someone had to pay for that "waste of material" that you've just crashed. Be realistic for once. Our nation's doctrine doesn't rely on helicopters. You wanna receive modern high-quality equipment? Join the infantry.Anthony:And die in a trench? Yeah nah hard pass. Besides it is not the doctrine's fault. Our lazy ass scientists suck at their job. The fucking -noids are exceeding our tech.Riley:The Republicans always had better stuff. Nervanna is still industrialising after the technocrats took power. Just give it some time. And besides, if you want Republican tech why don't you join the volunteer Squadron?Anthony:I'd rather teach an orc math than work with monsters.Riley:You wouldn't necessarily have to work with them. You'd be flying with Nervs just under a different banner. Trust me it's better than you wasting your skill on our "waste of materials"Riley chuckles.While still looking out of the window at the seemingly never-ending fields of grain Anothony debates the offer. He hates monsters but the thought of flying some of their modern helicopters is very appealing.[1 hour of driving later]Anthony gets out of the car and stretches. His back hurts a bit from the impact but the young pilot decides to ignore the pain. "It will wear off by tomorrow," he thinks as he starts walking to his barracks. Behind him, Riley also gets out and spots Anothony trying to get away.Riley:Now where do you think you're going?Anthony:Uhh... to my barracks? I need to rest after the crash.Riley: Oh no no no no! What YOU need to do is to fill up the crash report. After that, you're free to do whatever.Anthony:Oh come on Rile! Can't you do it for me? You're far better at understanding that paperwork mubo jumbo.Riley:You crash the prototype, you fill the report. I'm not your private secretary.Anthony starts to grind his teeth in anger.Anthony:Ugh... can't I at least do that tomorrow I'm really tired.Riley:Nope your fuck up, your responsibility now better get writing because I need that paper stat you understand me, pilot?Anthony sighs.Anthony:Yes sir...Riley:Good I'll be waiting.Riley walks away to his office while Anthony heads to the chief engineer to get the report. As he walks through the hangar all the maintenance crew look and judge him with their eyes. Thanks to his arrogant flying they now have extra work to add to their already overflowing schedule. But Anthony doesn't care. Their job is to work on machines and one extra broken helicopter can't be that hard to fix right?As Anthony opens the door to the chief's office his nose is met with an overwhelming smell of cigarettes.Anthony:Ufh.. Hey umm... Craig I need another crash report card.Craig is smoking a cigarette while talking on the phone and typing on his keyboard all at the same time. Due to the multitasking, he's currently doing his attention is completely spent and he doesn't even notice Anothony standing in his office. The radio inside is broadcasting about the rising tensions due to the gas shortage. Anthony takes a good look at the overworked chief while waiting for his response.Craig's hands are shaking from the excess amounts of caffeine he has consumed over the day. His tie is barely done and his shirt is full of coffee stains. The man's eyes are completely red and under them are massive dark circles. To say he's in bad shape would be an understatement. Frustrated Anthony makes another attempt at reaching Craig.Anthony:Helloooo? Terria to Craig.Craig unglues his eyes from the computer monitor and looks like Anthony. He then rubs them to check if the figure in his office is real or just another hallucination. After realising it's Anthony his heart sinks and he thinks to himself "Ah fuck as if this day couldn't get any worse...".Craig:Ugh... what do you want now? I'm kinda busy as you can see.Anthony:Crash report card now.Craig:Wha- AGAIN? For fuck sake man... you know spare parts don't grow on trees right?Anthony:Yes I know that's why we have you, to order them from the depot.Craig mumbles something under his nose as he looks through his messy desk and drawers. Finally, he spots the card and slams it on the desk.Craig:Here! Now get out!Anthony:May Nervanna bless you~Says Anthony with a smug on his face as he takes the card and leaves the overworked chief alone.With the paper in his hand, Anthony quickly finds a crate and leans the card against it. He then takes out a pen from his flight suit and quickly fills in the report while avoiding any "unnecessary" details that could get him into trouble. As far as the superiors will know it was all the machine's fault and not the pilot's.Satisfied with his half-assed writing he goes to Riley's office and walks inside skipping all the formalities he should have done before entering a superior's workplace.Anthony:There! Crash report don-Riley is talking on his phone and as he does so he puts his finger on his mouth and signals for Anothony to shut up.Riley:Mhm... Understood. No sir. Yes, they're ready. Four, sir. Understood.Riley lays down the phone and reaches for his emergency flask of vodka. Anthony looks at him worried and confused.Anthony:What was all of that about?Riley: The Federation just declared war on The Rift and they invoked Article 3. Nervanna is required to send aid.Anthony:So we're going in after them?Riley:Correct and the higher-ups want all the pilots from this base which includes you.Anthony:Wait what?!Riley: You heard me. Say goodbye to the fields, our motherland and the teal stripes you're working for the Republicans now.Anthony: But they can't do that I'm a Narv and not some noid!Riley: Shut it Ant. Orders are orders and you're definitely not evading these unless you want to get court-martialed. For once listen to what your superior tells you to do.Anthony:Rile I can't... I...Riley: Look Ant I'm just as shocked as you are. Just leave the report and go get some rest while I try I figure out what to do.Anthony:You sure you can handle this?Riley:Yeah... probably... look just go now.Anthony leaves the report on the desk and starts heading back to the barracks. As he opens the doors he can see his squad sitting on their beds and listening to a radio broadcast. Just like Anthony all three of the men have a teal strip painted on their hair.The stripe is a recognition symbol and a source of pride for the squadron. Despite their rather young age, the four men are some of the best helicopter aces Nervanna has to offer. Unfortunately, their talent is left unfulfilled as they are forced to spend their days in an airbase instead of the skies. But with the recent events that is soon to change of course.One of the guys spots Anthony and motions to him to come closer and sit down. Anthony gladly obliges and begins to listen in on the broadcast with the rest of his squad.Radio: Breaking news! The Republican Federation of the Southern Land has just declared war against The Great Insectoid Tribe. As Governor Kenz stated in his speech:"The monarchs are once again threatening the stability of the Federation by mingling with our economy and breaking previously established treaties. History has taught us that such actions only lead to war and we shall not allow the enemy to strike first.Today at 8 in the morning our last attempt at establishing a new gas export deal has been denied but the Insectoid Tribe. Due to these unfortunate events, we were forced to declare war on the Tribe."We are about to hear the emergency broadcast from the minister of foreign affairs."Dear comrades!Today as of the 48th day of the white season our great ally, the R.F.S.L has declared war on the insect societies of The Rift. Our great Nervanna will follow the Federation and help liberate The Rift from it's oppressive Monarchist regime. We will send our soldiers to the great unknown so they may sow the holy grain further across Terria. May our goodness bless them in their fights and may their harvest be bountiful. "Anthony's squadmates cheer as he sits almost frozen in place. He did not expect to be sent to war let alone to one that's taking place miles away from his motherland.It doesn't take long for one of his squadmates to notice Anothony's unusual state.Pilot 1: Mate what's wrong? I thought you'd be excited to leave this base.Anthony: Yeah but not like this...Pilot 2: Like this, like that who the fuck cares! We're finally out of this dump!Pilot 3: Exactly! It's about damn time we put our skills to good use!Pilot 1:Hell yeah!Anthony stands up frustrated and looks at his squad.Anthony: Have the three of you lost your minds? This is not your war! They're sending us away so we fight some backwards, bearly sentient bugs for the Republicans instead of protecting Nervanna.Pilot 2: Since when do you care who you're shooting at? I thought you were the one who said "I'll shoot anything so long as it threatens a Narv"Pilot 1: Yeah what's with all the sympathy to the Insectoids?Pilot 3: Pretty sure you should visit the med bay mate, I think you've hit your head a bit too hard in that crash today.The three squadmates laugh as Anthony starts to lose his temper.Anthony:Urghh... that's not my point! You know what I'm too tired for this shit. Have fun celebrating that bug squishing you all call "war".Anthony leaves the rest of the squadron alone and heads to his bed. Normally he would do his evening routine before going to bed but today he's simply too tired. Instead, he lies on the hay-filled mattress and falls asleep within minutes.[Back in the present]Amelia wrote down everything the man had said but she couldn't help but feel disgusted by his blatant racism. Still, that was ten years ago and man's worldview must have changed since then. She was a bit curious about what could have caused such a radical shift from bigotry to acceptance. As far as she heard the Narvs were very hostile towards nonhumans. But then again she was talking to one without any issues. Perhaps whatever helped him it could also work on the denizens of Kirsk.Amelia: So why were you against the war?Anthony takes off his sunglasses and begins to clean them with his shirt.Anthony: Well there were two reasons. The first one was the fact that the war did not benefit nor protect Nervanna in any shape or form. We were simply dragged into it by the defensive treaty established after the great war. Despite what the minister said there wasn't any "Great cause" for our soldiers to fulfil. Republicans wanted their gas and we went in to secure it.Amelia writes down the quote and marks it in her notebook.Amelia: I see... and what about the second one?Anthony puts his glasses back on and looks away to avoid eye contact while leaning on the helicopter.Anthony: I'll tell you once we get to it. Now any more questions or may I resume?Amelia:No, please go on.Anthony:Right.
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Time: 12 hours after the Declaration of WarAnthony is woken up by the loud noises outside his barracks. His attempts at covering his ears with a pillow are futile as the noise easily penetrates the fabric. Unable to return to his slumber the man gets up to see what the commotion is.He recognizes the sounds of transport plane propellers and realizes he must have overslept. In normal circumstances, it would be impossible to miss the absence of Anthony's arrogance but today is a bit different. Due to the sudden and unforeseen outbreak of war, the whole base is in chaos. People are scrambling to fill the transports with required cargo or to find out which plane they should board. It's almost as if the entire base is getting dismantled within hours.Anthony quickly puts on his uniform and rushes outside. With his hair still messy and his eyes full of gunk, he stumbles around the base looking for his squad. He can see people running in all directions carrying various cargo. Ground personnel are trying their best to get the massive cargo planes ready for the trip to The Rift.After enough stumbling around the young pilot spots his squad standing in line and receiving their transport orders. He tries to join in discreetly but the soldiers easily spot him. The commanderrefuses to comment on Anthony's late arrival and instead continues giving orders. Commander: Alright next up is..... Yielkovich. You're being transferred to the 2nd Scout squadron. Board plane Bravo 7.Yielkovich: Aye sir!Commander: Kryig. Gerald. You two are now in the 1st Transport Group. Board plane Alpha 6 and waiting for further orders.Kryig:Understood.Gerald:Roger that.Anthony watched as more and more people got assigned to different teams and bases. It was clear to him that he would never see most of them again. It broke his heart to watch his old squadron get dismantled overnight. Even though The Teal Stripes were a reserve squadron, he still wished he could fly into battle together with his friends. But now with the arrival of new orders, his dreams layes crushed.Time passed and pilots started to leave to board their assigned transports. The line started to thin out until all that was left was half-conscious Craig and Anthony.Commander: Now as for you two. The higher-ups noticed your outstanding performance and as such both of you just got a promotion. Unfortunately, we don't have time for a celebration.Anthony was a bit shocked to hear about this. If anything he was expecting to be expelled from the army for his rebellious attitude. His ego was very plane with the new rank but his conscious knew that there was something fishy going on. A promotion at a time like this could only mean trouble.Commander: Anthony. You'll be leading a new experimental squadron comprised of soldiers from the newly formed coalition. Most of them are still rookies so it's your job to sharpen them up. The hi-Anthony gestures for Riley to stop talking.Anthony: This is a joke right?Commander: I'm afraid it's not.Anthony: So what? You expect me to fly with the damn noids now?Commander: Yes. Those are your orders. You can either follow them or walk out and get shot for desertionAnthony: What fucking moron came up with this idea?Commander: The Minister of Culture himself so you better shut up and do what you're told.Upon hearing those words Anthony froze up a little.Commander: Not so smart now huh? Maybe this will finally teach you to respect orders.Anthony's heart begins to race. He wants to reply to the commander's snarky comments but his throat refuses to let any sound out.Commander: I would be careful if I were you. One wrong move and you might seriously damage relations between Nervanna and our allies. I doubt the ministry will be happy about that. Who knows maybe you'll get deported. Or worse... heh~It was now that Anthony realised just how much serious his situation was. He still wasn't sure why of all the pilots in Nervanna he was the one who would get such an assignment. But now that he got it, there was no going back. He will either lead the new squadron to glory or face repercussions.Commander:Oh yeah and you Craig. You're gonna be the squadron's main engineer. THUMP Craig immediately fainted upon hearing the news. The poor overworked logistics operator couldn't imagine working with the same maniac who broke 3 machines in one day. Commander:Right... once he wakes up tell him to Board plane Charlie 9. You have 8 hours left before we take off so better get ready.After helping Craig Anthony got back to the barracks and started to pack his personal belongings. There weren't many of them but they all meant a lot to him. First was the photo of him and The Teal Stripes. He glanced over at his squadmate's beds. They were all empty. Their previous owners were long gone and traveling into unknown lands of The Rift. The second item was a bag of grain. A regular crop to most people but to Narvs it was holy. Brought to them by their goodness of harvest Nervanna. She has blessed humans with a plant that would feed generations and require minimal effort to harvest. The followers of Nervanna embraced the grain and used the plant to its true potential. During the harvest season, Nervanna turned fully yellow, decorated with fields full of wheat that spread for miles with seemingly no end. A wonderful sight yet so unreal.Anthony planned on planting some of the grain in his new base. He wasn't sure if the plant would survive the alien environment of The Rift but he had to try. In Narv culture a place without wheat is like a house without a roof. It simply doesn't work. The wheat is not only there to feed its planter but to also protect him from various omens and bad spirits. The more effort you put into making sure the plant yields crops the more it will give back. Both physically and spiritually.The last and third item Anothony packed was a glass bottle. The bottle itself was regular and made out of reinforced glass. What truly mattered was what it contained. Inside it was a red liquid with tiny crystals flowing inside it. As the sunlight shined on the bottle the tiny crystals reflected it making it seem like the bottle was glowing.Despite the pretty looks what Anthony had in his hand was a banned devastating weapon once used by the Narvan military. The Marachov grenade was invented during The Great War as a cheap and easy-to-produce anti-armor weapon. Its use was simple. Upon impact, the glass would shatter spilling the red liquid onto the enemy armour. Then within milliseconds, the crystals contained in the liquid react with the air and foam up making a very unstable compound that even the slightest breeze could activate. As a result of the liquid activation, a chain rapid exothermic reaction would occur. The explosion produced by said reaction could easily disable an armoured vehicle or vaporise an entire group of soldiers.Despite the Narvs' extensive use of the weapon, it came at a high risk. The compound used in the grenade was extremely dangerous as even a single leak could result in a massive catastrophic explosion. As such the weapon was banned shortly after the end of the war and any remaining grenades were confiscated and disposed of. Only a few examples of the weapon remained and Anthony was proud to own one of them. He dug it up while working on a field a few years ago. Fortunately for him, he understood just how dangerous the artifact was and he made sure to secure it well by encasing it in a few layers of reinforced glass.As unusual as it might seem the grenade became somewhat of a luck charm for him. Not only that but the weapon itself became a symbol of Nervanna's resistance against foreign foes. A proud Narvs such as Anthony could not just let the grenade be destroyed. Legal or not he would keep it with him.Having collected all of his belongings Anthony got up and went to have a quick stroll through the fields for one more time before his transport to The Rift. Despite it being winter some of the crops were already beginning to grow. He hoped it wouldn't be his last walk among the wheat.As he returned from the fields near the base Anthony stared at the massive transport plane. For some reason, none of this felt real. He knew that sooner or later war would break out but not in some faraway shithole he bearly heard or cared about.During his walk, a part of him debated running away. But he knew that should the ministry find out he would be executed and his mother would get deported."Nervanna does not tolerate traitors."A sentence he heard more than enough times in school, the army as well as during public executions. All of it serves as a warning to those like him. There is no way back. You will die for the motherland.And so with no other way forward, Anthony boarded the transport plane. He passed some of the outdated helicopters and armored cars while walking towards the seating area. Despite how obsolete the equipment was it would still be more than enough to deal with some savage bugs. Or at least that's what he hoped.There weren't many seats left so he decided to take the one next to Craig. Despite their rocky relationship Craig was one of the few people who somehow managed to tolerate Anthony's personality. A few years ago Craig tried to apply for the position of a pilot but unfortunately due to his poor eyesight, his request was denied. Still, that didn't quell his determination to get his hands on one of those glorious machines. So instead he studied a lot and managed to become a mechanic and later on an engineer. As fun as it would be flying a helicopter working on one was equally as amusing to him.But then came Anthony and an unforeseen promotion. Suddenly instead of working on machines, he was ordering parts from an already overstretched supply chain. To make things worse the new member of the Teal Stripes was a bit of a maniac when it came to flying helicopters. Ordering expensive and hard-to-come-by spare parts became a nightmare that he was forced to deal with daily.All of those issues caused a lot of stress which he couldn't deal with on his own. So in came the cigarettes. An unhealthy yet effective coping mechanism. Luckily for him, he wasn't the only one who smoked on the base. The same pilot who caused him all that stress was always there and happy to share a smoke or two. Oh, the irony.Still, it was better than smoking alone and besides cigarettes were very hard to come by having been outlawed by the minister of health. As the two men smoked and chatted they got more personal and friendly with each other. It was only a matter of time before the two became friends. Their shared love for big machines proved to be a really good bonding agent. Craig even offered to teach Anthony how to fix the machines he so happily and regularly destroyed. Anthony hesitated at first but accepted the offer.It was a mutually beneficial deal as Anthony got some crucial and useful knowledge and Craig got fewer helicopters to fix and more time for himself.That deal was the start of a very close yet toxic friendship. But now as Anthony sat next to his "friend" he noticed that the guy was deep asleep. This explains why Craig wasn't protesting Anthony's particular seat choice. Still, it was better to listen to his snoring rather than whining. It didn't take long for Anthony's eye slowly close as he too fell into a deep slumber. Bugs. So damn many bugs. All crawling. A disgusting colorful mass of flesh and exoskeletons covered Anthony. Even tho none of them bit him, he still wanted to squish them. To burn them. To destroy these backward pests.And so he started stomping on them. Their juices poured out and flew through the air. Dozen dead. Then hundreds. Then thousands. But none of it mattered. The more bugs lay dead the more came in to replace them. What was the point?But then came the first bite. Then another. Then a hundred more. It wasn't about getting rid of the bugs now. It was about survival. And so the two sides clashed. Both gained nothing but wounds and scars. CRACK Anthony jumped up from his seat. The mortified pilot frantically looked around only to see the grey metal insides of the transport plane. He realized the things he witnessed just a second ago were nothing more than a nightmare. Despite that, it all felt so real...Craig: Eh... you ok there Ant?Anthony:Huh?! Wha- Oh! Uh yeah. Sorry just had a bit of a nightmare.Craig:I see...Anthony:Wait...Why aren't you asleep? I thought of all the people here you'd be the one far in the dream world.Craig: Eh... I keep getting woken up by those damn turbulence.Anthony: Oh yeah those can be loud annoying.Anthony looked down only to see Craig scratching his fingers. It was clear to see that the guy was itching for a smoke. Unfortunately for him, it would still take a few more hours before they made it to the new base. Anthony figured out that talking to Craig could help him deal with the lack of nicotine in his system.Anthony: Hey Craig.Craig:Hmmm?Anthony:You know anything about that whole Rift?Craig: Well, yeah, duh. Please don't tell me you have no clue where we're even going...Anthony:Uhhh... maybe... Look, I never planned on leaving the motherland, so I don't know much about the world besides our allies and enemies.Craig:Ugh... typical. Do you want me to explain it to you?Anthony:Hey, I'm always down to hear something new, and besides, it's not like we have anything else to do here.Craig:Fine here we go then.The Rift is an isolated 3rd continent of Terria composed of a set of hundreds of floating islands. The islands vary in size with some being the size of a house and others as big as an entire province. All of the islands float over a ginormous bottomless pit known as The Rift.Anthony: So what's at the bottom of it?Craig: I just said it... it's bottomless.Anthony:But Terria doesn't have a 2nd hole so it clearly must have a bottom.Craig:Ugh.. look the point is no one knows what's at the bottom of it since no one came back alive to tell the tale.Anthony:Ohhhhh I get it now. But why is it there?Craig:No one knows. I mean, there are a lot of theories, but all of them are yet to be proven. Some say it's a crater from a meteor impact. Others say it's the origin of all magic. And a third group says that a powerful mage caused it. But like I said no one truly knows.Anthony: So why are all the nations suddenly attracted to that place?Craig:Oh simple. The islands are full of natural resources that are ready to be exploited.Anthony: And bugs!Craig:Yeah, and bugs... don't underestimate them, though! They might be a bit backward, but with just how much weaponry the monarchs and Urania are flooding in there, it's only a matter of time before they'll be able to match us.Anthony:Yeah, right... as if those damn bugs could learn how to hold a gun.Craig rolled his eyes in disappointment. But despite his personal beliefs he somewhat wished that what Anthony said was true. If the Insectoids were just as dumb as the propaganda claimed they were, then the war would end swiftly, and he would get to go back home safe.Anthony:Wait why are the monarch supplying the bugs?Craig: Oh it's just to spite the Republicans. Outside of that they also want to exploit those lands.Anthony:So are all the bugs enemies?Craig:Not all of them. Some of the Insectoid tribes decided to join our side and formed a Republican state. Tho in reality it's just a puppet government ruled by the R.F.S.L.Anthony:Damn politics always make things confusing...Craig:Yeah... Look our job is to follow orders and stay quiet so let's keep it that way shall we?Anthony:Yeah maybe... but still this isn't our war. We're only going to that damn Rift because of some ancient alliance with the noids. We Narvs should worry about protecting our motherland and not flying halfway across the planet just so we can please the Republicans.Craig:You're right but hey look at the bright side. At least we'll get to see some of those Republican helis right?Anthony:Oh yeah you're right!Anthony started to jumping his seat as he imagined just how manoeuvrable and fast those machines must have been. Craig on the other hand drooled as he thought about the complex structure of the Republican helicopters.Craig:I call dibs on the first inspection!Anthony:Hey not fair!Craig:Nah very fair! I'm the main engineer after all.Anthony looks annoyed before a thought crosses his mind.Anthony:Not so fast Mr Main Engineer. I'm the squadron commander which means I outrank you. Looks like that inspection is gonna be mine.Craig:Oh come onnnnnn it's not like you can even understand half of the system on-board those things.Anthony:No but what I do understand is big engines and big guns which is more than enough.Craig:Ugh... fine. Jackass...Craig whispers under his nose as Anthony nearly passed out from all that excitement.
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Location: Sector 9 of the Rift war zoneTime: Evening, 63 hours after the Declaration of WarThe calm and peaceful sky is disturbed as the massive transport plane flies across it. The pilot of the plane carefully navigates the ginormous machine through The Rift. It's his first time witnessing something this unusual. As he looks through the windows of the plane he witnesses massive flying chunks of land each one covered in a dense jungle.The navigator behind him carefully checks the instruments and radar making sure that the plane doesn't deviate from the safety of the "transport corridor" established by the coalition force. Even the slightest mistake could mean disaster as the skies of The Rift are hostile towards aircraft, especially the larger ones.Soon the pilot spots the red lamps that are meant to help him navigate towards the newly constructed base. The crew inside the cockpit follow standard landing procedures as they prepare the huge machine for touchdown. Hundred ninety knots. Gear down. Flaps full power. Nose down. The runways slowly approach the rubber wheel of the transport plane. Five hundred feet. Four hundred feet. Three hundred. Two hundred. One hundred. Touchdown. The wheels kiss the asphalt runway as the tyres of the plane screech and the heavy machine gently slows down. The crew of the plane sighed in relief and satisfaction of a well-done landing. They taxi the plane to a designated unloading area and open the hatch so that the passengers and cargo can be unloaded.Back inside the plane Anthony quickly undoes his seatbelts and rushes outside far ahead of Craig and the rest of the crew. As he leaves the plane his body is hit by a wave of hot air and his eyes are blinded by sun rays. He takes out his pair of trusty sunglasses from one of his pockets and puts them on.Upon taking a second look, his eyes are met with the vibrant colours of the base. Everything looks more alive and cheerful when compared to his motherland. He stares in awe at the scenery before he spots an island floating in the distance. The massive landmass is hovering in the air above a seemingly endless blue void. A truly otherworldly view.Craig slowly walks out of the plane and stands beside the frozen Anthony.Craig: Damn... So this is that whole Rift huh...Anthony:I guess so...Craig:Well it looks nothing like Nervanna.Anthony:Yeah... it's like we travelled to another planet.Craig: Yep. But no time for sightseeing now. Come on let's go we have a job to do.Craig grabs his luggage and heads off towards the new barracks. Anthony on the other hand admires the view for a few more minutes before grabbing his bag and heading off.As he walked across the base he was shocked to see other species rather than just the plain old humans. Orcs, Avians, Insectoids, Goblins, a few Slimes, various Animarks hybrids, and even Nyarks. The whole base seemed like a huge mixing pot of cultures and species. It both horrified and disgusted him. Nonetheless, those were the "people" he would be forced to work with.Anthony looked up to see the banners of all the coalition members. The wonderful yellow banner of his beloved Nervanna stood next to the green and red banner of the R.F.S.L, the grey banner of the Nyark Empire, and the lime banner of the Insectoid Republic. As he was admiring the sight all of a sudden four jets flew right above him and generated a powerful gust of wind that made the banners wave making the sight even more breathtaking.Motivated Anthony proudly walked into the barracks and claimed one of the beds. He then unpacked his things and took the small bag of wheat seeds into his pocket just in case he managed to find someplace to plant them. Once he was done he took a deep breath and collected his thoughts.It was time to meet his new squadron.Anthony walks up to the newly constructed barrack. It was way smaller compared to the one he was staying at. According to the intel he got this was the place where the 5 members of his new squadron were staying at. The same beings he was tasked to train and look after for the duration of this entire war.Anthony takes one more deep breath before he bangs on the door.Anthony: Get out pilots briefing time!Anthony stands up straight like a proper Narv soldier with arms behind his back. He plans to leave a lasting impression on the newbies and assert his dominance as their commander.Soon the door opens and the soldiers walk out one by one forming a line. He takes a glance at the beings trying to figure out what species they might be.The first one in the line is a feline-looking humanoid. Anthony figures out that the cat is a member of the Nyark Empire, a colonial monarchy populated by cat people. His whole body is covered in fur and his facial expression seems to be that of annoyance. The Nyark seems to be struggling with the tropical temperatures of The Rift.Next in line is a tall mantis-type bug-person. He's clearly one of the Insectoids he will soon face in battle. But this one decided to join the Republicans instead for whatever reason. The fangs coming out of his mouth look extremely repulsive and disturbing.To Anthony's surprise, two blue jellyfish-looking creatures are standing in front of him. The two seem to be of the same species and look nearly identical. Despite everyone else being silent these two are still chatting quietly. Anthony can already tell they're gonna be troublemakers.And last but not least is a small red-haired humanoid. The short creature has two skin-tone horns protruding from its head and a disturbing smile on its face. It doesn't take long for Anothony to realize who he's dealing with. The creature is an Imp. For many, they might seem like nothing but in Narv culture Imps are known for their tendencies to cause trouble. The thought of having one in his squadron generally distressed Anthony. But the tales of Imps being an absolute menace were nothing but a fairy tale, right? Surely something this short couldn't be that much trouble.Filled with dread Anothony finished his inspection and began his first speech.Anthony: Listen up noids! My name is Commander Anthony and I have been ordered to mold you newbies into proper aces. I'm a pilot from Nervanna and a former member of The Teal Stripes aka one of the most elite and pristine squadrons out there. I had the honour to fly with some of the best pilots my motherland had to offer and I expect you to perform just as well as they did. However, don't expect any respect from me. Just because we're in the same squadron does not mean we're equals. Noids like you are looked down upon in my culture and I'm keen on keeping said sentiment. I'm your Commander and not your friend. Now be-Anthony sees that some of the men aren't paying attention. He's a bit confused at first but he soon realises what the issue might be.Anthony: Wait... do any of you even speak Narvi?Nyark:Yes sir.Imp:I do!Anthony: Ah- well I suppose fifty per cent ain't that bad... Right... You two translate what I said and explain it to the others after the briefing. I'll figure out the language barrier later.Nyark: Understood.Imp:Oki doki!Anthony:Good. Now where was I... oh yeah! The checklist.Anthony pulls out a checklist will all the names of the squadron members. He's horrified to see just how complex some of them are.Anothony: Uhh.. Pui'ci? Puri? Pe-The Nyark rolls his eyes and sighsPurci: Purci sir.Anthony: Ah- thank you.Anthony checks the first name.Anthony: Muar-i-hi?The tall mantis man raises his arm.Anthony: Oh wait it's Marhi!Anthony checks the second name.Anthony: Next up Zena and Zeta.Both of the jellyfish raise one of their many tentacles.Anthony:Huh.. which one of you is- eh whatever. I'll figure it out later.Anthony checks both of the names.Anthony:And you must be-Davi: Davi! Pleased to meet you, sir!Anthony checks the name trying to understand the imp's unusually cheerful altitude.Anthony: Ok that's all for today. Better get some rest because tomorrow morning we're going on our first flight. Dismissed.The soldiers walk back into the barracks and close the door. Anthony takes one more look at them before he walks away. They sure are a weird bunch but with enough training, he's sure can shape them into a proper team.The sun is slowly starting to dip under the horizon turning the sky a wonderful shade of orange and red. Now free Anthony decided that it would be a shame to miss such a wonderful sight and decided to stare at the beautiful scenery. After locating a ladder he climbs on top of one of the massive hangars and sits down. His eyes are met with a view, unlike anything he has ever seen. The many floating islands are illuminated by the sun and are visible against the dark blue sky. Only now he realizes just how many of them are there. It would take years maybe decades to visit them all. As he looks down he can see the seemingly endless abyss that is The Rift. The hole emanates a dim yet visible blue light slightly brighter than the moonlight coming from above.Anthony wonders what could have been the cause of this massive hole. As the sky turns black and night falls upon the Rift he can see countless artificial lights scattered across the floating islands. Their source is unknown but he figures they must be navigation beacons set up to guide planes during nighttime.After nearly an hour of sitting alone in the dark, he can sense his eyes closing and decides that enough is enough. He climbs down the ladder and discreetly runs back to his barracks. Once he's there Anthony quietly walks to his bed and lays himself to sleep.[Back in the present]Amelia: It's odd for a Narv to enjoy looking at something other than a wheat field, you know?Anthony:Eh... you're pretty much bound to get bored of looking at them when they're all that there is in terms of nature.Amelia: Is that so? I've never been to Nervanna, and frankly, the image of an endless field of wheat seems a bit unreal to me. Surely there's something more to it, right?Anthony: Well, you might spot some villages, windmills, or water towers in the distance, but besides that. There really isn't anything there.Amelia: What about forests, swaps, or just anything besides fields?Anthony:All levelled down. If it couldn't sustain the grains, it was of no use to us. Unfortunately, religion proved to be more important than preserving the environment.Amelia: Damn... How do you even maintain a seemingly endless field?Anthony: Well, there were beast, machines, and ingenious irrigation systems. Look, we're getting a bit sidetracked, don't you think?Amelia:Oh! Yeah, sorry. Let's get back to your story.Anthony: Ight.
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Anthony wakes up in his bed and sluggishly stands up. He's a bit grumpy at first, but then he remembers that today's the day he gets to fly the new helicopter. The excitement generated by that thought fills him with enough motivation to get going.He puts on his new olive green uniform and a pair of black rubber boots. The quality of the suit is far better compared to the one he wore back in his old base. After checking out the new uniform, he picks up one of the rubber bands he brought with him and ties his hair into a ponytail.Unlike in other armies, Nervanna allows its soldiers to keep longer hair. It's mostly because in Narvani culture, cutting hair occurs once a year at the beginning of the harvest season, and it's usually done by the oldest member of the family.Once Anthony is ready he gets outside and walks to his squadron's barrack. Upon reaching the doors he bangs on them and yells.Anthony:Morning assembly soldiers get out and form a line!Anthony stands back and waits for his squadmates to walk out. He watches as Davi and Marhi walk out and stand outside however the other three members are nowhere to be seen. After waiting for over a minute he gets frustrated.Anthony: Davi where's the cat and the jellyfishes?!Davi: Give them a minute sir. I don't think they're quite used to this climate.Anthony sighs and waits for the remaining soldiers. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity he finally sees them walking out. It doesn't take him long to realise that what Davi said was correct.As he looks at Purci he can see that the poor cat-humanoid is not dealing well with the heat. The Nyark's tongue is out and his gasping for air as if he just ran a marathon.The squid siblings on the other hand look dry like the Firracci dessert. Their slimy skin is devoid of the clear goo that's usually there.Despite the sorrow sight, Anthony cannot allow such a delay to occur again. And so he decided that a little discipline wouldn't hurt the soldiers.Anthony:Not used to the heat huh noids? Well, that's no excuse to be late for an assembly. All of you twenty push-ups now!Davi:Hey no fair! I was here on time!Marhi also says something but Anthony can't quite understand him. Judging by the tone the words definitely aren't those of agreement.Anthony: That's not my problem. You work as a squad you get punished as a squad. Now get to it before I add another ten!The soldiers drop and begin to do the exercise. The heat-exhausted members are struggling a lot when compared to Davi and Merhi. Despite that, they still try to pick up their pace while Anthony carefully observes the soldiers. The first to finish is Marhi after him is Davi then one of the jellyfishes. Purci and the other jellyfish are both struggling to squeeze out the last two push-ups.Anthony: Come on men we don't have all day. Your team is waiting for you. If you don't hur- huh?Anthony notices all of the beings present on the base suddenly start running towards the edge of the base. He's confused and a little frightened by the unusual sight and as he looks into the crowd he notices Craig also running towards the edge.Anthony:Uhh... one moment soldiers. Stay here and don't leave I'll try and figure out what is going onAnthony runs towards Craig and as he does so he can hear other beings shout.Soldier 1: Holy shit it's coming this way!Soldiers 2: Come on hurry! We can't miss it!Anthony soon catches up to Craig who's standing next to the fence near the edge of the island.Anthony: Oi' Craig! What the hell is going on?!Craig: Haven't you heard? The Republican 3rd Expeditionary fleet is gonna fly by our base.Anthony: Isn't it the one with that massive airship carrier?Craig: It ain't just massive! The R.A.C "Liberiiti" is the biggest airship on Terria!Anthony: Oh shit!Craig:Oh shit indeed! Look here it comes!As Anthony looks behind the fence he spots multiple jets flying by. They all fly in formation and their frames are painted in various colours. One of the jets flies directly over his head sparking cheers from many of the soldiers standing beside him.Once the jets are gone from out of the clouds flies a flotilla of hundreds of gunships and transport helicopters. Anthony starts to droll when he sees these majestic machines. The shiny guns, the massive missiles, and the rotating blades are all equally incredible. In his mind is a single image of him sitting behind the seat of one of the newer models.Accompanying the helicopters are a few smaller gun and missile airships. Despite their size the payload they carry is equally as deadly. Some of them are even armed with flamethrowers. Anthony squints his eyes to see some of the crew walking aboard the deck of one of the airships. As he looks to his left he can see some of his squadmates also enjoying the show. Despite them violating his orders he figures out that a sight like this is one in a lifetime and that he might as well let them have some fun.Soldier 3: I see her!Soldier 4:Our pride is here!A loud low-pitched horn echoes across The Rift as out of the clouds emerges the enormous port of the airship carrier. The first horn is followed by several other horns as two more ships fly out of the could cover. Soldiers scream, whistle and cheer in joy upon seeing the pride of the Republican army. Anthony on the other hand stands seemingly frozen by the incredible sight. The full industrial might of the Republic was right in front of his eyes.The carrier flies right by the base displaying her deck full of jets, helicopters, C-RAMs and even two smaller airships docked in a refueling station. On the deck, Anthony sees countless crew members preparing the machines onboard. At the other end of the massive airship is its superstructure which looks like a small city from far away. As Anthony looks down he sees the rows of gigantic stable diffusion engines propelling the massive airship upwards. The blue hot flames emit a ton of vapour and leave behind a trail of white smoke. All of the engines are fueled by gas. The same resource this whole war is about.Suddenly a large shadow covers the sun. As Anthony looks up he notices the underbelly of one of two huge battlecruisers escorting the Liberiiti. The engines blast hot air directly at the crowd as the ship passes over the base.In only a few minutes the entire fleet flies away towards the front line. The soldiers stare as the Steel Titans of war disappear into another cloud.Soldier 5: Give them hell!Soldier 6: Hell yeah squish 'em bugs!Soldier 7: Gloria da Republicana! Gloria da Liberiiti!Some of the men begin to hum the anthem of the R.F.S.L. Anthony despite knowing the song isn't interested in singing a foreign anthem. As he's about to leave he feels a tap on his shoulder. Upon turning around he notices Craig gesturing to follow him. The two Narvs squeeze through the crowd and walk away from the now full-on chorus.Craig leads Anthony into one of the many hangars located on the base. The sound of their footsteps can be heard echoing around the massive structure.Craig: Quite the show huh?Anthony:Sure was. I don't think I've ever seen this much steel in one place. Have you seen those helis?! They were magnificent!Craig hits one of the switches. Row by row the lights inside the hanger turn on and reveal 3 big objects each covered by cloth.Craig: All those massive warships flying right in front of you and yet you still focus on the helicopters huh?Anthony: Look I'm not saying that they're boring it's just that if I wanted to pilot an airship I would have joined the Navy instead of the Airforce.Craig: Fair enough. Anyway, you're probably wondering why I brought you here.Anthony: If I were to guess it probably has something to do with those three things in front of us.Craig: Precisely. Say hello to your new helicopter!Craig pulls the cloth off the machine revealing an intimidating-looking helicopter. Anthony's pupils widen as he starts jumping up and down like a little kid who just received a gift.Anthony: AAAAAA- YESSSS FINALLY!Anthony wasted no time and started checking out the machine. The more he looked the more excited he got as the new gunship was far better and more complex than anything he ever flew up to this point.Craig chuckled as he saw Anthony's reaction. It's not like he was acting the exact same way just a few hours ago when the helicopters arrived.Craig: It's HG - 67f "Skyfortress". A bit outdated by today's standards but it's still packed to the teeth with weapons.Anthony: OUTDATED MY ASS! They used to hunt down untamed dragons in these! Those bugs are gonna shit themselves when see these bad boys over their heads!Craig: Yep they sure will. To an enemy, with little to no AA these gunships must be straight-up nightmares. Man, am I glad we're the ones using and not fighting these.Anthony runs from front to back checking out every single detail trying his best to contain his excitement.Anthony: Missle pods, rockets, cannons, and a freaking 360-degree triple barrel GAZ-20! And that beautiful double-bladed design! Not to mention superior maneuverability and countermeasures! IT EVEN HAS EJECTION SEATS! Oh, sweet Nervanna harvest came in early this year!Craig: Yeah this one is the female variant. The male one has a 40mm autocannon instead of the GAZ. I've checked each gunship and they're oiled up and ready for action. You and your squad have a test flight scheduled for today so you better get ready.Anthony: Oh I'm more than ready!Craig: Well I'm glad to hear that. Oh and one more thing before I go. Please don't crash them.Anthony: Prrftt- don't worry I wouldn't dare to hurt a beauty like this one.Craig:Yeah sure... tell that to the prototype back in Nervanna. Anyway, I'm out on a break so if you need me I'll be back in my barrack.Craig walks out of the hangar leaving Anthony alone with the gunships.Anthony spent a few more minutes checking out the machines and made sure they were all in pristine condition. Once he was done looking he spotted a young Scalian wearing a technician uniform.Anthony: Oi scalie!The lizard turned around and stared at Anthony with confusion on his face.Anthony: Yes I'm talking to you noid. Get these helis on the pad I have a test flight in 20 minutes!Anthony slapped the helicopter a few times to make sure that the lizard understood his request. The Scalian nodded and went to get the transport cart. Satisfied Anthony walked out of the hangar and went back to the fence to collect his squad. On the way there he spotted Purci still standing in the same spot he was before Anthony left to check up on the commotion.Anthony: Uh... Purci why are you standing out in the open?Purci: You have ordered us to stay and not move sir.Anthony: Oh yeah right... well, I can see you're the only one who listened huh?Purci: Correct sir.Anthony was mildly impressed by Nyark's willingness to follow orders. Despite the heat coming from the sun Purci didn't bother to look for some shade. He simply did what he was told to do.Anthony: Well I appreciate your compliance but this won't grant you any privilege. Now go gather the rest of the squad and meet me at the lunch pad.Purci saluted and went to look for the other beings while Anthony returned to helicopters. Right as he approached the pad he saw the Scalian move the last machine into place. Anthony didn't bother to thank the reptile since he probably wouldn't even understand his words. He decided to do one more check-up before the rest of the soldiers arrived.Ten minutes passed before he saw the noids walking towards him all while still laughing and chatting amongst themselves. However, upon seeing their commander they all stopped and quickly formed a line. Anthony walked in front of them and took out another list.Anthony: All right noids listen up. We are now known as the 1st International Coalition Operation Squadron. However, we can all agree that the official name is a tad bit long hence for communication's sake we'll be registered as The Rookie Squadron. On top of that, our higher-ups blessed us with these here three machines. For those less observant of you, they're republican HG - 67s. Two of them are standard females while the third is male which means it has anti-armour weaponry. Each one requires a pilot and a gunner. Since I'm your Commander I get to decide who files with who. Now listen closely as I list your callsign and partner.The soldier begins to stress over the thought of who gets to fly with Anthony. They've all heard rumours about their commander's particular flying style.Anthony: Purci - Rookie 1 Pilot, Marhi - Rookie 2 Gunner You'll both be flying the male helicopter.The cat and the mantis look at each other. Despite their many differences, they are both glad to be working together.Anthony: Now before I proceed which one of you jellyfishes is Zeta?The jellyfish standing on the left slowly raises one of its tentacles all while trying to get it to stop shaking from stress.Anthony: Ah perfect.Anthony grabs a roll of duck tape and walks towards the terrified Zeta. He then firmly tapes a piece of paper with "Zeta" written on it onto the creature's head. Once he's done he does the same with the other jellyfish except this time the paper has "Zena" written on it.Anthony: There! Now I'll finally be able to decipher which one of you is which. Now as for your roles, you'll be both flying with each other with Zena being Rookie 5 and Zeta Rookie 6. As for which one of you is the gunner and which is the pilot I'll leave that up to you to decide.Despite their limited understanding of Nervani the smile on both jellyfish's mouths suggested that they both indeed received Anthony's message. As Anthony walked back to his place he could hear the two sea creatures celebrate and do a high five with their noodle-like appendages.Anthony: And last but not least is you, Davi. Your callsign is Rookie 4 and you'll be my gunner. I've heard a lot of things about you imps so no funny business understood?Davi: I can't promise anything...~Anthony: What was that?Davi: Oh um- Understood sir! He he...~Anthony: Good. Oh and before I forget I'm Rookie 3 but I think you all figured it out by now. Now get into your machines and start-up. We have a test flight ahead of us.Anthony didn't waste any time and immediately climbed into his seat. It was high up and encased in a glass canopy, giving him a great view of his surroundings. Inside he saw his brand-new helmet equipped with radio communications and a visor with an integrated interface.No words could express just how excited Anthony really was. He even pinched his skin to make sure he wasn't dreaming, but alas, what he was witnessing was indeed real. Once Anthony placed the helmet firmly atop his head, his eyes were met with a lime green display showing him various stats such as altitude, rotor power, and fuel, among various other numbers. He finally wouldn't have to check the dashboard every five seconds now that all the vital information was right in front of his face.The pilot grasped the control stick and gently felt it glide in all directions. It was much smoother compared to the other machines he previously flew. Looking in front of himself he saw Davi's two horns sticking out from his custom-made helmet. Besides them, the imp was completely hidden from his vision. Anthony adjusted the microphone and moved it closer to his mouth.Anthony: This is your Commander speaking all call signs check in.Purci: Rookie 1 Checking in.Merhi: Ruckwie 2 charking in.Merhi still seemed to struggle with speaking the unusual alien language.Zena: Roopki 5 Avril.Zeta: Roopki 6 Avril comendant.The jellyfish both replied in their native tongue.Davi: Ready for action sir!Anthony: All right that's all of ya. Now listen up. I'll be the first to take off. You two form up on me and we'll begin the first flight.Purci: Roger that sir.Zeta: Fasi comendant.Anthony grabbed the radio knob and readjusted the frequency.Anthony: ATC this is Rookie 3 aka. Commander of the Rookie Squadron. We're requesting clearance for take-off.ATC: Hear you loud and clear Rookie 3 you have permission to take off. Please follow the navigation beacons and stay clear of any floating obstacles.Anthony: Understood.Anthony's heart began to beat faster as he prepared himself for the first take-off in his new toy.Anthony: Davi get the start checklist ready.Davi: Can do sir!Davi pulls out a checklist and begins to read it out loud.Davi: Doors?Anthony checks to see if the doors are locked.Anthony: Close.Davi: VM?Anthony: Essential bus.Davi: Starter gen?Anthony turns on the generator.Anthony: Start.Outside the helicopter springs to life as the rotors begin to spin slowly.Davi: Anti-collision?Anthony flips a switch.Anthony: On.Anthony: Force trim?Anthony flips another switch.Anthony: On.Davi: Flight controls?Anthony: Check.Davi: Throttle?Anthony moves a leaver slightly forward. As he does so the blades begin to pick up speed.Anthony: Open and minimum.Davi: Starter?Anthony moves the leaver further and the whole machine vibrates as the blades keep on speeding up.Anthony: Press to 40%. We'll hold the rest of the checklist.Davi: Roger that. Let's get this baby in the air!The massive machines slowly begin to rise and gain altitude. In a matter of seconds, it hovers above the treetops as the blades push the air around it blowing away any dust and leaves. Inside Anthony is astonished by how responsive the helicopter is. Even the slightest push on the stick can push the machine forward.Knowing that the other two teams are waiting for him to move he pushes the stick forward and watches as the machine tilts and begins to move.He then stops and waits for the other two helicopters to get into formation.Purci: Rookie 1 in position.Zeta: Roopki 6 redi.Anthony: Alright good job. Now stay close and try to keep up. Oh and as for you gunners don't treat this flight like a day off. Just because we don't have any targets does not mean the enemies aren't there. Stay vigilant and look out for any suspicious activity.Anthony pushes hard on the stick and feels his body pushed into the chair. The helicopter lunges forward and the other two machines follow him closely. As Anthony looks through the glass in his cockpit he can see the majestic sight of The Rift from up high. It is truly breathtaking. But he doesn't get to enjoy it for too long as his mind wanders back to the flying. Seeing that the other pilots accompanying him are keeping up nicely he decides to pick up the pace and make things a bit more interesting.Anthony: You're doing great noids but this is only the beginning. Things are gonna get a bit more interesting now.Anthony spots a small island the size of an apartment building and decides to fly under it. His helicopter is covered by a dark shadow as the mass of dirt blocks off the sun. As he looks up he can see many roots poking out from the soil before the light blue sky returns to his view. Seeing out from under the island Anthony puts the rotors to max speed and pulls hard on the stick.The helicopter rushes up quickly gaining altitude. Purci and Zeta try to copy the manoeuvre but while doing so they nearly crash into one another.Purci: Pe-rr du-rr-e-rr th-err rr-epa-rrd!The Nyark curses in his native tongue as he steers the machine away to avoid a collision. As Anthony looks at the top of the small island he can see a few columns of dirt. A stupid yet enticing idea fills his mind but before he can dwell on it his arm already pushes the stick forward. A small smile forms on his face and adrenaline rushes into his system.Davi: Sir what are you-AAAA!Davi looks horrified as a huge pillar fills his view. But just as he braces for impact the helicopter violently swings to the side missing the pillar by a mere meter. Anthony then swings the machine to the other side avoiding another one of the pillars. Meanwhile, the rest of his squad watch in horror and admiration as their commander dances among the pillars going nearly vertical at one point. Once he gets his thrill, Anthony flies out of the danger zone and returns to formation.Purci: Sir, with all due respect that was highly irresponsible.Anthony: Well I had to show you rookies what real flying looks like one way or another.Davi: You could have at least warned me, sir...Davi says this as he tries his best not to faint or puke.Anthony: Get used to it Imp. You'll see what REAL manoeuvres look like when we finally get into combat. But for now, let's proceed with the test flight.The squad flew around the area passing many more islands and a few minor villages. Anthony tried his best to keep himself from pulling off another stunt. The way the Skyfortress slid through the air was unbelievably satisfying to him. With each input, the machine turned without any issues or delays. "If only the Narvi helicopters were this good" Anthony thought to himself.Hours passed and the test flight unfortunately had to come to an end as the helicopters were beginning to run low on fuel. Despite that, Anthony was satisfied with his squad's performance, and noids have proven themselves to be good pilots. However, just as he was about to give the order to head back to base, a broadcast came in.Merhi: Komendant.Anthony: What is it Rookie 2?Merhi: Ruckwie 2 spot two rebels. Do shoot?Anthony: Negative Rookie 2 those could be our allies.Merhi: Nit komendant. These not my people.I recognize. These enemies.Anthony felt a bit sceptical about what Merhi said. But then again he was the one who came from The Rift. If there was anyone able to separate friend from foe it would definitely be him.Anthony: Understood. Maintain your position I'll fly closer and confirm the visual.Anthony lowered the altitude of his helicopter and flew a bit closer toward a small cave entrance. At first, he didn't see anything suspicious; however, upon turning on thermal imaging in his visor, his eyes were met with three beetle-looking humanoids lurking within the shadows of the cold cave.Once the creatures realized they had been spotted they immediately aimed their weapons at the helicopter. However such low-calibre bullets would merely scratch the paint off the highly armored Skyfortress. Thinking fast Anthony reached out to readjust his radio to get permission to engage the enemy. As he was struggling to find the right frequency he suddenly felt the helicopter shake followed by the deafening:TRRRRRRRRRHe quickly looked back at the beetles only to see three corpses and a lot of guts splattered on the cave wallsDavi: Targets dispatched.Just as he heard those words Anthony's blood began to boil.Anthony: YOU UTTER FUCKING IMBECILE!Davi: Huh...?Anthony: HAVE I PERMITTED YOU TO USE WEAPONS?!Davi: No... but they were aiming at us! I thou-Anthony: WELL YOU THOUGHT WRONG!Davi was confused by his commander's sudden outburst. In his eyes what he did was basic self-defense.Anthony:Rookie Squadron RTB. We're about to have a serious discussion once we land.The rest of the flight back home was completely silent as no one dared to mutter a single word given the state of their commander. Once they made it back to base, all three machines landed safely without any issues, and the pilots jumped out and formed a line. Anthony stood in front of the five men still as mad as he was just after the incident.Anthony: Davi step forward, please.Anxious Davi did what his commander told him to do and took a step. All the other squad members were solely focused on him and Anthony.Suddenly Davi fell to the ground after being slapped hard by Anthony. Other soldiers gasped as Davi started to rub his cheek and looked back scared at his commander. Anthony wiped his hand on his uniform and said to the other 4 men.Anthony: You better think twice before doing anything stupid unless you want to end up like him understood?The 4 men noded still unable to say anything.Anthony: Good you're all dismissed. Except you Davi. You stay.Davi looked at the ground embarrassed. The other soldiers slowly began to walk away leaving the two men alone. Once they were completely gone, Anthony picked up Davi by his collar, lifting the little creature all while looking him directly in the eyes.Anthony: Listen here you little Imp. If those "enemies" you just shot turn out to be friendlies, both you and I are in big trouble. And I ain't getting my ass locked up behind bars because of some Imp's itchy trigger finger. So tonight, you better fucking pray that the people you shot weren't on our side; otherwise, the only thing you'll be seeing in a few years is nothing but a cold cell.Davi: Y-yes sir.Anthony throws Davi back onto the ground.Anthony: I'll file the incident report and we'll know what you did tomorrow morning. Until then you're prohibited from leaving the confines of the base.Dismissed.Davi watched as his commander began to walk back to his barracks. A wave of regret hit him as he thought about what Anthony just said. He let his excitement get the best of him and now he was enduring its consequences yet again.[Back in the present]Amelia watched as Anthony's facial expression changed while he described the scene. However, it didn't display any anger. Just regret. It made her curious.Amelia: You didn't mean to go this hard on him didn't you?Anthony: No certainly not. I still remember the moment I slapped him. The terrified look on his face. The pain in my hand. I was just so damn angry. And back then I saw him as something less than a person. Like a bad dog that had to be taught a lesson.Amelia: But you don't see him that way now do you?Anthony: No, of course not! I've come a long way since that part of my life. Still, I wish I could have been better on that day.Amelia: Well Davi did pull the trigger on his own will despite your orders. He had to face at least some consequences.Anthony: He might have pulled the trigger but it was still my responsibility to keep him at bay. The incident, by all accounts, was at least partially my fault.Amelia: Well I suppose. Did the relations between you and the squad change because of that slap?Anthony: Well they certainly were more strict about respecting my orders. Our relations were by far at their lowest point. But you might be surprised just how much that changed throughout our deployment.Amelia: Is that so?Anthony: Yep.Amelia: Interesting. Well, please proceed with your story, I'm very intrigued.